4 out of 4 stars
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Think of how much our memories shape who we are, not only as a person, but how we learn. Now, imagine that you have not only your own memories but that of your parents, your grandparents, your great grandparents and so on, back hundreds of years. Think of how much you could accomplish! This is the intriguing concept brought to life in D. A. Field’s brilliant novel Blood Memory Society.
When Will, a well-respected doctor, is contacted by his old friend out of the blue to urgently come to Washington, he has no idea what to expect. Will, in his break through research in fertility studies, has come to the attention of a certain group of people, a secret society spanning centuries, and they have a proposition for him.
Will learns that over the years, there have been certain people who have what’s called Inherited Memory, passed on through the DNA of their parents letting them access memories of generations before them. The resulting memories lead to an incredible amount of knowledge and those that have it are geniuses in their field. However, there are very few of these people left and Will’s expertise in fertility is vital in ensuring their survival. What’s worse is that someone is targeting these people and will stop at nothing to wipe them out. With enemies on every side, Will finds himself right in the middle of treacherous plot. Who can he trust with not only his own life, but that of Victoria, who has the oldest memories of them all?
Brilliantly written, this book takes an almost unbelievable concept, mixes it with fact and makes it utterly believable. Written in third person, it follows the main character, Will, as he is drawn further and further into a web of both knowledge and deceit. All the characters are incredibly realistic and vividly portrayed, which makes it even more surprising when traitors are revealed. Both Will and Victoria are very likeable characters with relatable flaws, which makes the reader want them to succeed even more.
Set in the United States, the characters travel all over, from Florida, to the Bahamas and to California, just to name a few. The settings and their natural beauty contrast well with the chaos and turmoil Will and Victoria are going through.
The story is fast paced and action packed right from the start making it very difficult to put down. It’s one of those books that will have you thinking about it for days afterwards. There are a lot of scientific and technical terms, especially at the beginning of the book, which may put some readers off, but persevere past this and it is well worth it.
This book was a refreshing surprise from other crime and thriller books as the concept of inherited memory is so interesting and can be used to describe geniuses such as Einstein, Beethoven and Tessla. It was flawless story and I rate it a solid 4 out of 4 stars. Any readers who enjoy new concepts backed up with scientific facts, mind altering revelations, as well as good old fashioned action and mystery, then this book is for you. As the first of a series, the cliff-hanger it ended on was spectacular and I can’t wait to read the next book.
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Blood Memory Society
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